End fastener for shoe-laces



B. A. JOULE.

END FASTENER FOR SHOE LACES. APPLICATION FILED Aus. 24, new

1,174,164. Pat ented Mar. 7,1916.

FIG.5.

ZZUGYZZZTB 3E X x mekhm), QM; f C v (n.uumA FLANOGRAPH'COH WASl-QINGTON,D. c.

I BENJAMIN ARTHUR JoUmaoF EAST ACTON, LoNnoN, ENGLAND.

END FASTENER r0 3 sHo -LAcE's.

Improved End Fastener for Shoe-Laces, of V which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to devices for securing the ends of laces'uponboots or shoes and the like, and has for its object improve-' ments insuch devices by which the ends of laces are neatly and firmly securedwhile when required they can be instantly re leased.

A device constructed according to the invention comprises an upper and alower plate, the former of which folds upon the latter and is formedwith an opening to receive a projection formed upon the lower plate. Theupper plate terminates in an eye which when the plates are foldedtogether registers with an eye or eyes terminating the lower plate; saideyes being capable of receiving the metal protected end of the lace. Oneof these devices is secured to the boot on each side adjacent to theuppermost eyelet, and the ends of the lace are placed over theprojection on each lower plate and clamped by foldingdown the upperplate. The eyes of both plates now register with each other and aresecured together by passing the metal-protected end of the lace throughthe eyes.

In the accompanying drawing :-Figure 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 a sideelevation of I one mode of carrying out my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 areviews respectively in plan and in elevation of a modification. Fig. 5 isa plan view of a blankand Fig. 6 a side ele vation of an alternativeconstruction of device formed from said blank. Fig. 7 illustrates a bootprovided with the improved lace fastening devices.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 the lace fastening device is constructed froma strip of metal 1 formed as to one half with a hump 2 and as to theother half with a central slot 3 while each end is bent over to formrespectively eyes 4, 4 and 5. The strip of metal is folded midway toform a springlike hinge 6 so that the device is normally open as shownin Figs. 2 and 4. That portion of the strip formed with the hump 2 maybe provided with lugs 7, 7, as shown in Fig. 1, having holes 8, 8,through whlch Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 24,1914. SeriaLNo. 858,362.

Psalmist. 7,1916.

rivets or other suitable fasteners are passed to attach the device'to aboot or shoe. According to themodification shown in Figs. 8 and 4, thehump portion of the metal strip is formed with tangs 9 projectingrearwardly and which tangs are passed through the upper of the boot orshoe and then turned over to secure the device to the latter. Fig. 7illustrates a boot provided with lace fastening devices according tothis invention, there being one device on each side of the boot adjacentto the uppermost eyelet. One end of the lace 10 is passed over the hump2 of the onedevice and then the upper half of the metal stri 1 ispressed down upon the lower half, t us clamping'the lace, the two halvesbeing now secured together by passing the metal protected end 11 of thelace 10 through the eyes 4, 5, which register with each other when theupper half of'the strip is closed down'upon the lower half,

The device may be constructed from a single strip of metal 12 cut asshown in Fig. 5 and having an end portion 13 formed with an opening 14and terminating in a tongue 15 which is subsequently bent to form theeye 5, an intermediate portion 16 formed with the hump 2 and with asmall aperture 17 adjacent to the end portion, while the other endportion terminates in a tongue 18,

' TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

and between this end portion and the intermediate portion is formed anaperture 19. The strip is folded downwardly across the aperture 19 andbent to form the two upstanding eyes 4; the end portion being folded topass under the intermediate portion 16 of the strip the hump 2 of whichprojects upward. The other end portion 13 forms the upper part of thedevice and is folded over so that the opening 14 therein passes over thehump 2 in the intermediate portion.

The device thus constructed is attached to the boot or shoe by passingthe lowermost portion-20 through a slit in the leather, then passing thetongue 18 in this portion through the leather and through the smallaperture 17in the intermediate portion, and, finally, turning over theend of the tongue 18 tosecure the two portions of the strip together asshown in Fig. 6. The end of the lace is passed between the intermediateand upper portions of the strip, which are normally openowing to thespringiness of the fold, and then these two portions are sei curedtogether'by passing the end ofthe lace q t A lacing terminal for shoelacescompris ing a single blank of metal arranged to pro:

vide a base plate, a plate bent rearwardly' from the upper edge of saidbase plate and being slotted and looped to provide a pair of spacedeyes, said last-named plate adapted to engage the shoe for mounting theterminal thereon, a hump struck up from the material of said base plate,a front plate bent from the lower edge of said base plate and providedwith a slot for receiving said Gopies'of this patent may be obtained forhump whereby to hold the lace clamped therebetween, and an eye bent fromthe upper edge of said front plate and received between said first-namedeyes when the plates are clamped to receive the lace tip for holdingsaid plates together, substantially as described. r

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

BENJAMIN ARTHUR OULE. Witnesses:

D. K. BOYLE, t E. L. H. ELLIOTT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington,D. C. i

